New Ulm weekly review., 1887-09-07
Al. Old Letter.


October %, 1885, by Mr. Lambert
Hitchcock, a chairmaker, of Hitch-
cockyille, Litchfeld county, has been
preserved, with other old letters, by
his son. Mr. Henry P. Hitchcock, naer-
chant tailor, OF this city. Extracts
from this letter will be interesting to
our readers. 1t was written on fools
cap, postage 25c, marked on the out
side, and paid on delivery. Had it
been inclosed in an envelope the post
age would have been soc. It was.
doubled SO as to make the last page a
blank for direction, and sealed with a
red wafer. The following are extracts
from it:
Il arrived in Chicago from Detroit
after Journey OF thirteen days, wind
ing through the territory from one
point to another. Amonth had passed
since the time set for writing; still
/ found no letters from home. The
mail arrived every other day from
Detroit. I saddled my pony at De-
trolt and took my departure for Chi
cago. | will give you some account OF
the territory through which passed
The territory OF Michigan (about to
become a State). so far as have seen
it, is remarkably level. Nothing like
what we have in New England should
call a hill is to be seen. The rivers and
creeks are forethe most part slow and
sluggish. and this is one cause of bill
Gus fever and fever and ague. The
rivers crossed were the Rogue, which
empties into the Detroit River; the
Hudson, which empties into Lake
Erie; the headwaters of the Kalama-
zoo, which empties into Lake Michi-
gan, and St. Joseph's, which empties
into the same lake l crossed the
last-named river several times, the
last time at Niles, fifty miles from it's
mouth, the head OF the steamboat
navigation. Small lakes, from half
mile to two Or three miles in length, are
frequently to be seen. Thelan may be
divided into about tour different kinds
first, the heavy timbered lands;
these are but a small portion of the
whole, and are for the most part
found on the rivers and creeks, but
not exclusively so, and embrace most
kinds OF timber common to the West
ern country, with the exception OF
Next is the so-called oak openings,
land covered with oak trees from one
to four rods apart. Perhaps three
fourths OF the land saw was of this
description. Then there are prairie
lands, very level and free from timber
and brush; they only require fencing
and plowing to- prepare them for a
crop. There are a few small prairies
of this kind from one or two to fifteen
miles across. Next is the marsh land,
small patches OF which are found all
through the country, from half a mile
to five OR six miles in length. They
have the appearance OF once having
been the bottom of small lakes. They
yield a coarse grass, from which the
new settlers cut their supply of fodder
tor the Winter Much OF the land IN
Michigan is rich and productive.
The road from Detroit to Chicago,
called the Chicago road, runs through
the lower counties of Michigan; is
much Travelled, but in bad condition.
1 travelled higher up in the territory,
and also dropped down to the upper
counties OF Indiana. The settlers Iiv-
ed principally in log houses, and even
the taverns and stage houses are OF
this descriptions. except in the county
towns, where one or more good tram
ed, houses are found, answering the
double purpose of tavern and court.
house, which, with a. log Jail, consti
tute the county buildings. The inn
migrants OF this Territory are from
all the Eastern States, but most oi
them from New York and Ohio. Very
few inhabitants have been in Mich
igan more than three years, and per-
haps most Of them came within the
past eighteen months. All is new and
in rude state. Some Of their build
ings finished, with q small piece OF
land under cultivation, are be.
ginning 80 be comfortable:
others are living in half-fnished log
house; others have just arrived and
live in small tent Or sleep in their
covered wagons on the place where
they intend to build a. log hut. Most
of the Indians have left the Territory,
yet In the Western part, on the ST.
Joseph's river, is tribe OF 800 or
400. They cultivate their lands and
hunt. Deer, wild turkey, geese, ducks
and prairie hens are found in abun-
dance
In coming here I found only Indian
trails for miles together, the roads gen.
orally are bad; but occasionally fell in
with Eastern, men ON horseback, and
/ accompanied two, young men from
New YORK State, who were going to
Chicago. a part OF the way. An Indian
on horseback owertoo us and by
signs offered to, carry euryalises. But
we declinedi to trust him. He blew a
shrill whistle and was off.
Chicago is called by some OF
the people here the London
OF the West" The lands in the
vicinity of: this. village are notimprov-
ed, and nothing prevents riding out
in any dineetioD over the prairies.
There are. more buildings here than ]
expected to, see, but they are poor
wooden buildings. 1t is a place OF
l. Il f.nT